Accelerator control



Dec. 5, 1944. J, A. OCONNOR ACCELERATOR CONTROL Filed May 13, 1943rferameflaz'annar tame-A Es 'P r ACCELERATOR coN'rnor. r Jerome A.Connor,0ouncil Bluffs, Iowa Application May 13, 1943, Serial No. 486,865

1 Claim.

a control of this kind which assures a car being driven at a steadyspeed with a resultant increase of gas mileage.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an acceleratorcontrol which allows the operator to have free a foot for mainconnection with the brake when required and wherein the controlautomatically becomes inoperative when the brake pedal is applied.

The invention consists inthe details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my acceleratorcontrol whereby certain important advantages are attained, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now proceedto describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawing,

wherein:

Figure l is a viewin elevation and of a somei what diagrammaticcharacter illustrating an accelerator constructed in accordance with anembodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially onthe line 2--2 ofFigure 1. Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially onthe line 3-3 of Figure l, and

Figure 4 is an elevational view of the tapered member herein embodied,unapplied.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawing, I denotes the usualaccelerator rod and which at a predetermined point has clamped, as at 2,thereon and at a point belowthe motor M, a plate 3. This plate 3 iselongated and is substantially vertically disposed and is provided alongits upper marginal portion with a series of teeth 4.

Depending from the motor M is an elongated member 5 which has its lowerextremity in the upper portion of the plate and pivotally connected tothe lower extremity of the member 5 by the bolt 6 is a holding member H,herein disclosed as insimulation of an inverted U.

The leg I of the member H rigidly carries a tapered member 8 extendinglaterally from a face of the leg I and which is adapted to selectivelyengage between adjacent teeth 4 so that when the accelerator rod ispressed, it will be held in desired position and against retrograde orreturn movement.

The lower or free end portion of the leg 1 has secured thereto, as at 9,an end portion of a retractile spring l0, herein disclosed as a coiledspring. The lower or opposite end portion of this spring I0 is anchored,as at H, to a suitable part of the motor M or otherwise as may bepreferred. This spring l0 operates to constantly urge the member Htoward the plate 3 yet permits the member H to be raised when it isdesired to free the plate 3 to allow the rod I to have return movement.a

The second or pivoted leg l2 of the member H is associated with the bolt6 and mounted substantially midway its ends on said bolt 6 for rockingmovement is an elongated arm M, the upper end portion of which has alaterally disposed ex tension l5 to engage from below with theintermediate portion of the holding member H so that upon downwardswinging movement of the lower portion of the arm M, the holding memberH will be swung upwardly a distance sufiicient to release the plate 3.

The lower'portion of the arm I4, or at a point below the bolt 6, hassecured thereto, as at IS, an end portion of a retractile member I1,herein disclosed aS a coiled spring, which is also anchored, as at 9, tothe leg 1. This retractile member or spring I! provides means toconstantly maintain the extension, [5 in contact with the intermediateportion of the holding member H.

portion of the arm M to raise the holding member H and thus release theaccelerator rod 1 for returnmovement.

As the brake pedal I9 is pressed down, the arm 18' can readily pass thelower end portion of the arm l4 and upon the return movement of thebrakepedal I9, the arm l8 can readily pass up- 'wardly by the lower endportion of the arm {4 without, of course, such arm I4 raising the mem-Also secured, as at 9, which may be a conventional bolt, is a, wire orother flexible member 20 which is of a length to extend to a dash panelbutton to provide means whereby, upon pull of the button, the holdingmember H may be manuwell adapted for use by reason of the convenienceand facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

What is claimed is:

In combination with an accelerator rod and a brake pedal,ya"toothedplate fixed to the rod, a rock member supported adjacent to the plateand coacting with the teeth of the plate to hold the rod againstmovement in one direction, yieldable means for constantly urging suchrock member toward the plate, a swinging arm supported adjacent to theplate for contact with the rock member tomove the rock member free ofthe plate upon movement of the swinging arm in one direction, and a partcarried by the brake pedal for contact with the swinging arm upondepression of the pedal to impart such movement to the swinging arm,said rock member beingin 10 the form of antinverted U, the swinging armhavingcontac't with the inner edge ofione of the legs of the rockmember. a JEROME A. O'CONNOR.

